Summer and Spring
by scribbles of madness
Summary: It doesn't take three words, eight letters to say 'I love you'. Sometimes it takes more than several paragraphs, or in Natsu and Lucy's case, two hundred chapters.  Natsu x Lucy.
1. Smile

**Summer and Spring**

A Natsu x Lucy fanfiction

By _scribbles of madness_

Summary: It doesn't take three words, eight letters to say 'I love you'. Sometimes it takes more than several paragraphs, or Natsu and Lucy's case, two hundred chapters.

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><p><strong>AN: Hey! :D It's been so long since I've last written a fic, and it's all because school can be so mean sometimes (dumping a load of projects and papers to be done…YOU WANT ME TO SUMMON AQUARIUS ON YOU, YOU JERK?). So, here I am, writing NaLu again ('cause OMG they're the ****cutest**** couple ever) :) OH, and I'm taking on the 200prompt challenge. DO NOT LAUGH. I **_**can**_** finish a multichapter-fic. It just might take a while…STOP LAUGHING AT ME DAMMIT.**

Disclaimer: I do not own the awesome manga _Fairy Tail_ by Hiro Mashima

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><p><strong>Chapter 1<strong>

Smile

The familiar pounding of blood in his ears, the electricity in his fingertips as adrenaline surged through him, that sheer, blissful sensation of invisibility, as if the entire damn world is in his hands – Natsu Dragneel grinned deviously as he tried to evade the authorities.

A full moon shone brightly upon the quaint seaside town, bathing everything in pale silver. The fire Natsu had started earlier in the ship continued to blaze a few kilometers off the shore. It seemed as if a star had fallen from the sky, and floated onto the surface of the dark blue water.

"_Where_ are you taking me?"

The girl whose wrist was being firmly enclosed in Natsu's hand struggled to free herself from his firm grip. Fear struck her heart. She had just _barely_ escaped being a victim of human trafficking, she was being lead somewhere by a man she had never met before that afternoon, and now the military were after them.

Honestly, she wasn't _that_ discourteous when that old shopkeeper refused to lower the price of the silver key to a more affordable (by her standards, of course) one, was she? She hardly deserved this much punishment.

Natsu dragged her down the concrete steps, paying no attention to her pleas for him to slow down. She _was_ wearing stilettos, after all.

Lucy Heartphilia, for that was her name, forced herself to keep up with his speed. His was that of monstrous proportions. Natsu beamed at her in pure excitement.

"You wanted to join Fairy Tail, right?" he asked.

His words reached her amidst the barking of orders from not so far away, the repetitive sound of leather shoes against pavement as the chase went on, and the distinct crackling of flames.

"Then come with me."

At first, Lucy was stunned. She stared at Natsu; scrutinizing his guileless smile to check if the invitation was genuine. All her life, she had always felt kind of out of place. She knew where she was supposed to stand in society. She was a Heartphilia, after all. A princess. Even in those blasted ballet classes, those agonizing birthday parties of kids she had never known, even under her own roof, she felt like an invader. Foreign and unwanted.

Now, a hand has been held out to her. Will Fairy Tail be the home she had wanted so badly for so long?

Slowly, the corners of Lucy's lips lifted up, and remained that way even when her cheeks hurt so much as she gave a resounding 'Okay!' in acceptance of his invitation. They ran, laughing.

Throughout their escape, Natsu daydreamed about Fairy Tail. Throughout the years, the random fights breaking out in different corners, certain to merge into one huge brawl, and the disorganized, unintelligible noise they call conversation became routine to Natsu. He looked forward to them even. But even though the guild however it was right then was the best thing that could've happened to him, second only to Igneel, he couldn't help sensing something was missing.

Then he wondered about Lucy, how she would fare with such a rowdy bunch of people.

Her radiant, warm smile in the middle of that chaotic shitstorm.

Natsu glanced back at his newfound friend; from the look of happiness on her face, it was as if they weren't being chased all over town.

_Doesn't matter_, he thought. _We're going home._

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><p><strong>AN: Really short, but I promise the chapters are gonna get longer soon :) Review, please ^^ Thank you for reading!**


	2. Distance

**A/N: UGH SO MUCH CHRISTMAS CANDY. CAN'T STOP EATING OMNOMNOM. Happy New Year! And I'm really sorry to have kept you waiting :/ I was a bit busy with the holidays.**

**Notes on this chapter: Natsu-centric, and mild NaLu. **

Disclaimer: I do not own the awesome manga _Fairy Tail_ by Hiro Mashima.

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><p><strong>CHAPTER 2<strong>

Distance

All his life, it seemed like all Natsu had been doing was _waiting_.

Hoping, pursuing, seeking, expecting.

Finding, looking, hunting, searching.

He was a creature of motion, a vessel of limitless, continuously flowing energy. Adrenaline surged through him every hour of the day. He can't bring himself to just sit his ass down, and wait.

That's why whenever someone would mention the term _dragon_, Natsu would instantly jump out of his seat, and demand for further details. There's no way he'd be able to simply _stand by_.

When it came to Igneel, no mountains were too high, no oceans too deep. He'd go the extra mile. There were absolutely no limits. Natsu will do absolutely _anything_ to once again see the guy who took him in, and treated him like a son.

After gathering enough information, he would then prepare for his long journey, and set off immediately after packing.

"Igneel is somewhere out there," Natsu told Happy on the occasions when a lead didn't give him the results he wanted. "I just gotta go look harder."

But still. Sometimes, Igneel seemed like a dream, so far-fetched and unrealistic. There were times that Natsu was on the verge of giving up. Strong-willed he may be, there was only so much a man could take before breaking apart at the seams.

He'd already lost Lisanna.

He didn't want someone else he loved to disappear completely out of sight.

Now, on another of his searches, he walked one of the dusty, winding paths outside Magnolia that led elsewhere, and wondered for the thousandth time if Igneel had been searching as hard as he is.

Assuming, of course, that his reptile father is still of this world.

Natsu shook his head to clear those negative thoughts. He squinted against the harsh glare of the sun. It was just after noon, and the unforgiving heat beat down on him. Happy was restless; he switched between flying and walking on the ground beside him every two minutes.

"You hungry, Happy?" Natsu asked.

A hundred yards from where they stood glittered a clear blue lake. To the Nekomander, that meant only one thing: fish. Happy spotted it a mere second after Natsu did, and flew to the lake at a speed that exceeded light.

He heard a soft sigh from behind him.

"Finally," Lucy said, relief apparent on her face.

Natsu shared a brief grin with her before his mind wandered. It took a while, but at last Natsu decided on taking Lucy on one of his quests for Igneel. On the surface, it seemed as if he didn't want her to feel left out every time he went off alone, accompanied only by Happy. She was his friend now, his nakama.

His thoughts were interrupted by an enthusiastic invitation from Lucy to join her and Happy by the lake.

She was now in front of him, her thick blonde hair dancing in the wind as she ran.

"Come on, Natsu!" Lucy called again.

Nearing the shore, she impulsively tossed her white shirt over her head, revealing a teal-colored bikini top, and dove into the water.

The fire mage didn't waste a second hesitating. He raced to the lake, and plunged in as well. The coolness of the liquid felt heavenly; he stayed under, and surfaced some seconds later, gasping for air.

Lucy was floating on her back, her eyes focused on the sky above her. "We shouldn't stay long. We've still got a pretty long way to go."

A small smile appeared on Natsu's face. He suddenly remembered the real reason he brought her along.

Not simply because he didn't want her to feel left out.

He let her come because he wanted her to have an idea of how far he'd go for someone he loved more than life itself.

He wanted her to know it was what he'd do for her.

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><p><strong>AN: Thanks for reading and for reviewing on the first chapter, everyone! **

**Oh, by the way, just something that crossed my mind :P You know the 'elsewhere' with the 'dusty, winding paths….' part up there? It kinda reminded me of this awesome book I've read. It's called The Giver by Lois Lowry, and I ****swear**** it's totally imperative you read this book. It's one of my favorites, so I brought it with me on a flight to Singapore, and ended up finishing it just after we got into the suite we stayed in. I read it two more times 'cause I didn't have any more reading material left AND 'cause it's JUST THAT GOOD. You have to read it. YOU HAVE TO.**


	3. Wedding

**A/N: Aw, man, I wish this was one of the last prompts. Oh, well. I took the challenge, so I'm taking it LIKE A MAN (Elfman fan alert.)**

**Notes: Since there are no little boys in Fairy Tail, forgive me for making Romeo the ring bearer. I don't know if prepubescent boys can be ring bearers because I am accustomed to having the position held by little boys. Ohhhh, by the way, there will be a **_**slight**_** hint of another couple I adore…**

Disclaimer: I do not own the awesome manga _Fairy Tail_ by Hiro Mashima.

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><p><strong>CHAPTER 3<strong>

Wedding

"Hold _still_, for God's sake."

Despite Loki's exasperated sighs, Natsu continued to squirm in his tuxedo. He twiddled his thumbs, and fiddled with the hem of his crisp, white long-sleeved polo shirt. He scratched his head, naturally ruining his hair, which Erza had miraculously managed to tame with her conditioner.

The spirit, let out by his master to participate in that afternoon's event, shook his head in dismay, and reprimanded Natsu, "Era will never forgive you. If you weren't so needed today, she would probably smash your head through the wall."

And yet Natsu remained unfazed by Loki's threat. He was scared of Erza – of that, he was certain – but compared to what Natsu will face today, Erza was nothing.

They were the only ones in the dressing room. The other guys, sensing Natsu's uneasiness, went out ahead to give him some space to breathe.

"Where's your tie?"

Natsu pointed a shaking finger at the mahogany table at his right. The bowtie was tangled in the long green stems of the blue morning glories in a crystal vase.

_Shit,_ the Salamander thought as Loki went to get it, _I feel like throwing up. Maybe I should back out. They'll all understand, won't they? This is worse than riding that boat to get to Tenrou Island. It took six hours, and I felt like hell, but this is way worse than that. HOLY SHIT I SERIOUSLY WANT OUT._

Loki returned.

"Oi, Loki," Natsu said in a low voice, the first time he had spoken since that morning.

His friend looked up, pausing in a final, desperate attempt to straighten Natsu's suit.

"I'm kinda nervous."

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><p>"Don't let Happy get near the cake!"<p>

"Have somebody else do it! I'm going back to the cathedral!"

"By the way, make sure that all the flowers are in place!"

"GODDAMNIT, CANA, HAVE YOU BEEN IN THE WINE CELLAR AGAIN?"

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><p>There was a flurry of activity in Fairy Tail Girls' Dormitory, especially in Erza's spacious room, which became a makeshift females' dressing room for the day. Here and there, last-minute preparations were being made.<p>

Bisca braided portions of her daughter's hair, still beaming with pride that Asuka was selected as a flower girl.

Mirajane did a follow-up on the girls' hair and make-up.

Erza gingerly stepped over the long train of the bride's wedding dress, and checked on the bouquet.

All of them wore varying shades of blue – a light, powdery blue that reminded one of the skies in spring and young cornflowers for the flower girl; a darker, richer shade called royal blue for the bridesmaids.

"Lu-chan?" Levy called to her best friend, who had been standing in the center of the room, staring blankly at nothing in particular.

She crossed the room to get to Lucy.

The celestial mage met her concerned, earnest gaze, and smiled. "I'm just…really, really happy."

Levy grinned, and smoothed Lucy's bangs. "You should be. Today's an important day. And…" Levy stepped back, and scrutinized her from head to toe, before nodding in satisfaction. "You look so beautiful, Lu-chan."

"Thank you," Lucy replied, blushing beneath the foundation. "You, too."

They remained in silence amidst all the hustle and bustle, and giggled when Erza yelled at the newly arrived Cana for almost stepping on the train of the wedding dress.

"It's about to start," Cana sulkily informed everyone.

Her statement signaled another commotion; this time, everyone made a beeline for the door, gathering their skirts in their fists and keeping their heads above the crowd to prevent ruining their hair, which had been painstakingly shampooed, conditioned, blow-dried, and styled for hours.

"Here we go. How're you feeling?" Levy asked Lucy as they stole a last glance in the mirror.

"I'm kinda excited."

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><p>"OI, IS THE FREAKIN' ICE SCULPTURE HERE YET?"<p>

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><p>Caldia Cathedral was the oldest structure in the town of Magnolia. It stood at a staggering 157 meters. Located at the center of town, it was conveniently a short distance from the guild.<p>

When Natsu arrived at the cathedral, more than half of the pews were completely filled.

He shivered at the prospect of having to stand before _all these people_. He knew every single of them; they weren't strangers. The people present were the same people he'd gotten into a fight with, or shared a drink with. He probably even burned some of their clothing or hair or house. And it wasn't like it was his first time to stand before a crowd. He'd faced the entire Kingdom of Edolas without breaking a sweat, but this. This was totally different.

Laxus? Jellal Fernandez? Dark guilds? Pshaw. No problem.

An hour-long wedding? Fuck **NO**_**.**_

It wasn't the event per se, which made him shake merely thinking about it; it was the fact that he couldn't be the one to call the shots. He was so used to forcing himself to be in control that it was nerve-wracking to follow a schedule someone else had made, one so terrifyingly detailed. It didn't help that Mirajane, the assigned wedding planner, had abandoned her sweet, mild-mannered persona to be able to drill into Natsu that he _needed_ to follow the schedule, and to keep in mind _everything_ they had done in the rehearsals.

Again he shuddered, remembering the barkeep's words:

"_I'll forgive you for now, but in the actual wedding, DON'T look so constipated."_

"_Never, never, NEVER leave the altar."_

"_And for the last time, STOP wrinkling your clothes!"_

Turns out even as a retired mage, there was still a reason she's called The Demon.

He slipped out unnoticed, and headed for side door. Inside was a small room furnished with a couch and a vanity table with a mirror. He let out a small sigh of relief, grateful that he could take a breather before facing the guests. He saw another door opposite the one he just came through, no doubt the one which led to the church.

_Funny_, _I would've thought the gate of hell is guarded by some three-headed dog._

Natsu stretched out on the couch, trying to calm his frayed nerves. He recalled the past excruciating days of preparation, the hours devoting to shopping and worrying, the lack of sleep. Just the previous night, he tossed and turned so much in his bed that he actually fell off at four in the morning.

He couldn't go back to sleep after that, so he just lay on his bed, thinking, before getting up at six to bathe—"I swear, Natsu, if you don't take a bath on the wedding day, you _will_ experience Soul Extinction!". He stayed there for an hour, meticulously scrubbing at every square inch of his skin, knowing that Mirajane wasn't bluffing when she said that.

All this he thought about while waiting for Master Makarov (who insisted he should be the one to marry the groom and the bride because "I WAS A FATHER TO ALL OF YOU, YOU UNGRATEFUL BRATS!") and Gray.

Within minutes, he was fast asleep.

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><p>"So…much…pain. Go on without me, girls. Must…go…towards…the <em>light<em>—"

"Don't be such a drama queen, Evergreen. Haha, it rhymes."

"Evergreen the Drama Queen."

"Juvia thinks Evergreen must not be the queen of drama."

"Evergreen is such a drama queen."

"I'LL TURN YOU ALL INTO STONE."

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><p>Gray straightened his bowtie, and walked into the small room Master Makarov said he can stay in for a while before the ceremony starts.<p>

Upon entering, he saw a pair of legs dangling over the armrest, a dinner jacket-clad arm hanging just a few centimeters above the floor, and Natsu's head propped on a couch pillow.

It was all Gray could do not to turn over the couch.

Instead, he kicked Natsu's legs off the armrest, and growled, "Your clothes will be all rumpled."

In a flash, Natsu was on his feet, glaring at him. "I didn't sleep enough, you dick! Let me rest for just a moment, will ya?"

The two rivals took a seat. Their silence was punctuated with nervous coughs and the shuffling of feet on the floor. Both of them felt kind of weird. Something should be sort of exploding or breaking right now.

At last, Gray spoke up. "I didn't get to thank you. Thanks, idiot."

"You sound gay." Then, with a smirk, he added, "You'd do the same for me, bastard."

They laughed, filling the room with the sound that always rang in this room: the laughter of groom and best man. They passed the time with conversation, trying to ignore the fact that the bride may already be on her way.

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><p>"WHERE IS THE SCRIPT?"<p>

"Didn't you memorize your lines?"

"SILENCE! GIVE ME THE SCRIPT!"

"Just give him the script, Droy. He's old. His memory's failing."

"WHAT WAS THAT?"

"Hard of hearing, too."

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><p>Lucy was glad she decided to wear flip-flops first.<p>

She looked behind her to check on Evergreen, who was blaming her fellow bridesmaids for not reminding her that their dormitory was situated on the top of a hill, and that the venue of the wedding was a little further away compared to the guild.

"My feet are bleeding," Evergreen complained, cursing her 6-inch silver stilettos.

"They're not," Charle dryly said.

"How are you even balancing yourself?" Lisanna asked in disbelief.

As the peaks of the twin towers of the cathedral came into view, smiles graced the faces of the bridesmaids and the bride herself. Hearts pounding with excitement, they walked a little faster, eager for the magical moment when one of them will finally receive a new name.

"Not so fast, I'm _begging_ you," Evergreen pleaded.

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><p>"THE BRIDE HAS ARRIVED!"<p>

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><p>Hearing Elfman's voice bellow throughout the cathedral, Gray and Natsu stiffened.<p>

"Are you—are you ready?" Natsu stammered, a single bead of sweat rolling down his forehead.

"Moron, sure, I am," Gray lied, as his voice shook.

They stood up, and went to the mirror for a quick look. After seeing everything in order they both took a deep breath, and sailed out the door just as the clock struck five.

"Holy son of a bitch," Natsu muttered.

The Caldia Cathedral was _packed_. Not just the measly thirty or so he saw earlier. There were guys he _didn't know_. Who the hell were they? Gray echoed Natsu's curse, gulping at the sight.

They both took their places by the altar.

"Good luck, brain-dead," Gray said.

"Don't lose your clothes, asshole," Natsu replied.

Master Makarov, who was in the center of the platform, shushed the two. The pianist began to play just as the processional started. Asuka came first, her tiny hand digging into her wicker basket to gather the white, tear-shaped petals, and shower them over the carpet. Next came Romeo who held the position of ring bearer.

There was neither a mother to be escorted, nor a father to escort the bride.

Soon, the bridesmaids started their march towards the altar. Natsu felt lightheaded in anticipation for the girl who made this all worthwhile. His gaze slid past Evergreen, Erza, Cana, Lisanna, and Levy. He craned his neck to see her, mentally badmouthing the architect for making the passageway so incredibly long.

His breath went out in short, quiet gasps when he laid his eyes on Lucy.

"Beautiful," he murmured.

Lucy took her place, and smiled at Natsu. She blushed when Natsu responded with a silly grin of his own. Her heart soared, her love for him grew. Just simply standing there, she could feel her emotions being reciprocated, the pleasurable sensation similar to gentle sunshine kissing her skin.

Somehow, it seemed just right that they were chosen as the maid of honor and the best man.

They both turned to the end of the aisle when the bridal march played to see Juvia in her beautiful, empire-waist wedding gown. Juvia reddened when everybody stood up to acknowledge her, and even more when she directed her attention to the altar and saw her Gray-sama look up at her, and smile.

Juvia stood next to him, and tried her hardest to listen attentively, running her vows one final time in her mind.

The ceremony ended when moonlight streamed through the stained glass windows at 6:15 pm, and the guests started to leave for the guild, where the reception will be held. Lucy hurried to catch up to Juvia, who was outside being congratulated by her former nakama in Phantom Lord, when she felt a strong hand grasp her arm.

"Wanna skip the reception?" Natsu's teeth glinted in the darkness, his feral grin giving out his intentions to Lucy.

"I have to attend to Juvia, Natsu. You know that," Lucy reprimanded him, though all she wanted to do was take his hand, and run away to be alone with him.

"There are other bridesmaids."

"There's only one maid of honor."

Natsu lowered his head in defeat. "Alright, alright. I give up. See you later, then."

He lingered for a second or so, and then turned away, when he felt Lucy's dainty hand on his shoulder. He pivoted his heel, and raised an eyebrow at Lucy. But before he can ask her what she wanted, Lucy grabbed his wrist to drag him closer to her until they were so close to each other Natsu could feel her breath on his neck.

"Damn you, Dragneel."

She lifted herself up on her toes, and brought her lips to his, putting her arms around his neck. Shocked, Natsu was motionless for a split-second, and then, realizing what was happening, he returned the kiss, his teeth scraping against hers as he nipped gently on her lower lip.

Abruptly, she pushed him away, and smiled deviously at him.

"Fine, but we _better_ be back in time for the tossing of the bouquet."

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><p><strong>AN: ...and by _slight _hint, I meant that they were totally getting married, and will be bound together by their never-ending love. Yay, first kiss! :D Thanks for reading!**


	4. Funeral

**A/N: I AM SO SORRY! D: Um, this is really bad but I've kinda been putting this off :( I am… I am so ashamed :( If you're still reading this after months of waiting, then you are totally, totally fantastic :)**

**Note: The cuss words are kind of intense. I mean, they're all angry and sad, so they'll have sailor mouths in this chapter. And it's gonna get really, um, mature. But the moment's just short! :D**

Disclaimer: I do not own the awesome manga _Fairy Tail_ by Hiro Mashima.

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><p><strong>Chapter 4<strong>

Funeral

The rain continued to pour. The sky was a dreary, bleak shade of gray, and not a single ray of light peeked out from behind the large rainclouds. A flash of lightning followed each distant clap of thunder.

Despite the storm, Natsu's funeral carried on.

His grave was situated at the peak of a grassy hill in the eastern area, the same place where the sun rose every day. His burial place was fitting, seeing that Natsu was a constant source of warmth and energy, just like the sun.

The hill was covered with people grieving for a beloved friend.

At the outskirts of the thick crowd were those from far-flung lands. They came to recognize Natsu as a hero, the happy-go-lucky savior with a dragon's fiery breath. They politely dabbed at their eyes with brand new handkerchiefs, their clucks of disappointment at the loss never quite reaching the ears of the people next to them.

A tight circle was formed around the black coffin at the very center of the hill's peak. There was a respectable distance between this circle and the one composed of people from outside guilds.

Alzack held his cowboy hat to his chest, while Bisca held their daughter in a firm embrace, as if death was contagious.

(In some ways, it was.)

Elfman's fists were curled at his sides. _Men don't cry. _So why the hell, he asked, was he allowing himself to cry? He bit the inside of his cheek, willing himself to _stop_. His attempts were in vain, and he succumbed to the despair eating at him from the inside, all the while trying to comfort his sisters.

Mirajane covered her mouth throughout the entire ceremony, as if containing her screams of agony. Beside her, Lisanna neither made any effort to cease the sobs escaping her nor tried to control her shudders. She could not forget his smile, his voice, his laughter.

She threw a hateful glare at the somber sky. Why would _anyone_ want to take away such a wonderful source of joy? Why would _anyone_ want to take away her nakama?

The answer to her unspoken questions was nothing more than an angry roar of thunder.

Levy constantly rubbed at hers with her sleeve to remove all evidence that she had been crying. She took occasional glances at the coffin, waiting to see if Natsu would leap out of his damned death-box and sheepishly grin at the crowd. He would say, _Looks like I went too far this time, huh, guys?_ He would say, _What are you all crying around for? Out of the way, there's a dragon I gotta meet!_ He would scramble out, and push his way out of the crowd, waving goodbye and yelling a promise to be back before dusk.

No such thing happened.

Hunchbacked, Master Makarov stood with the defeated posture of a father who has lost a son. He looked frail, so different from the man whose fiery rage shook the ground during the war between Phantom Lord and Fairy Tail.

The two remaining dragon-slayers of the guild stood next to each other.

Wendy wailed out loud. Gazille stared forward. If he felt sadness for what had transpired, he made no show of it. He carried on with the same stoicism he displayed on any day of the week.

_Salamander. We're not the kind who's supposed to die._

Not surprisingly, Natsu didn't reply.

Nearer still to the center were those who were considered Natsu's dearest nakama. Natsu had liked to think he thought of everyone equally as his friends, but try as he might, he knew such a thing couldn't be possible.

You could be included in a group of four, and call each of them your best friend, but there's always one you'd automatically think of when somebody else asks you who your best friend is.

It's kind of the same under Natsu's circumstances.

Gray sat on the wet grass. All around him, people were standing, even though the burden of grief on their shoulders was too heavy to bear. He ignored Juvia for the most of the ceremony. Usually, he humored her, feeding her growing obsession with him. Just last night, he had lashed out at her after she had knocked on his door and pleaded him to eat. So he had skipped breakfast and lunch that morning, so what? He hadn't the appetite.

_Gray-sama_, she had said, _Juvia is worried about you. Juvia knows you are distraught, and Juvia wants to help—_

Distraught? _You think I'm _distraught_?_ Gray had replied, his voice poison. _Fucking _furious_ is what I am! I told the dumb-ass not to leave! Not now, at least. What does the goddamn idiot do? He hightails his scrawny ass outta here without even a moment's hesitation. And now…now he's dead. _

For a fleeting moment, Gray wore an expression of so much pain, so much sadness. Natsu was his friend, after all. But the moment ended. He had sent Juvia a look that made her whimper in fear. _You want to help? Get the motherfucking _hell_ outta my house._

Hours later, Gray had decided to get out of his house to clear his mind. Upon opening the door, he had stumbled upon a tray of food on his doorstep. Juvia had left a bowl of soup that had gone cold, a bit of bread, and a note of apology in her wake, all slightly dampened by the weather. He had torn the note, and kicked the tray off his doorstep. The metal tray had clattered loudly as it had hit the pavement; the plastic bowl had bounced off and the soup had splashed onto the ground.

The chaotic noise had reminded Gray of overturning tables and shattering glass, of crackling fire and hissing ice.

_Only a moron like you would be stupid enough to get killed_, Gray had thought.

He had crumpled to the ground, and wept.

Beside Gray was a stone-faced Erza. She fared no better than the creation magic-user. Like many others (save for those who weren't fortunate—or were they?—enough to know Natsu that well), she did not listen to the pastor who had been appointed to hold the mass at Natsu's funeral. The words meant to provide comfort swam by her.

_Comfort_, she scoffed in her mind. _Who is this man and how did he get the right to soothe those who grieve? He is a stranger._

It struck Erza that a stranger was most suited for this job. After all, who would have the courage to gaze down at the blue lips, ashen face, and still form of someone who used to be a friend?

"Erza," Gray quietly called, breaking their silence.

"What is it?"

"You can leave. Natsu won't mind."

She stiffened at the sound of his name. She stared at this man, who read her mind in the most baffling situations. Her chest constricted, and suddenly it became harder to breathe. A tear leaked out of her eye, and then another, until she was soon shedding a waterfall. She shot a grateful glance in Gray's way, then departed.

She had no intention of coming back to the ceremony.

The pastor spoke, "Friends, let not hate nor anger fill your hearts. Nature is in symmetry. Just as there is love, there is the destructive war. Just as there is warmth, there is the biting cold. And just as there is life, there is death."

He took a deep breath. Bullshit was always called on the sentences he's about to say.

"Natsu is on his way to a better place. He is leaving this place where wars break out and tears are shed. However, he will always be in our hearts. He will rejoice with us in our happiness and cry with us in our sadness. He is amongst us."

An emotionless voice rose from the somber crowd. "You say that Natsu is leaving this place, and yet you claim he is amongst us. How does that make sense?"

A logical question; accusing and innocent at the same time.

The pastor searched for the source of this voice. He found her, her blonde hair dripping in the rain, her hazel eyes chillingly empty and desolate.

He tried to remember where he's seen her before, then it hit him. She was, _had been_, rather, Natsu's companion, along with the blue cat who was understandably absent from the funeral. She and Natsu had been said to have a relationship outside the bounds of friendship, but it had never really been proven.

His gaze softened, and he began to answer her question.

Lucy cut him off. "Oh. God. I'm—I'm sorry. I—Please—You don't have to. I just want to…I just want to…"

The celestial mage bit her lip. She hadn't been thinking clearly when she asked that. She lowered her head as her face burned with shame. The pitiful gazes of the people around her rained down on her like white-hot needles piercing her skin.

Father Reynaldo, the pastor, swallowed hard. It broke him to see this child so utterly lost. He yearned to comfort her, but then decided against it. From experience, he knew very well that the more you try to reach out, the more they'll want to be left alone. Lucy lifted her tear-filled eyes, a silent plea to Father Reynaldo. The pastor quickly took the message, and resumed his speech once more to redirect the attention from her to him.

"Natsu," Lucy murmured, her throat thickening. _You promised. You damn asshole, you _promised _you wouldn't leave me._

* * *

><p>"<em>Come look, Lucy! Hurry!"<em>

_Lucy turned and smiled as Natsu eagerly called out her name and beckoned her to walk faster. Fairy Tail was, as usual, in a merry state. Beer sloshed in their glass mugs, the distant crashing of a table as another fight ensued, and laughter rose from every corner._

_Natsu, meanwhile, was not participating in the rowdiness of the guild. Instead, he opted to look after Bisca and Alzack's kid. Asuka had just started developing comprehensible speech. _

_As soon as Lucy was at Natsu's side, he grinned at Asuka and told her, "Okay, Asuka. Say it again. Say Na-Na."_

"_Na-Na?" Lucy repeated, confused._

"_It's the nickname I decided for her to call me," Natsu explained. "The –tsu part of my name is probably too hard for her." He returned his attention to Asuka, and gently said, "Come on, baby. NA-NA."_

_Asuka stared at Natsu's lips, and struggled with own to form the word. "N-Na. N-N-N…"_

_His fascination growing even more, the dragon-slayer wordlessly guided her, his lips moving in accordance to the syllables._

"_Na-Na," Asuka babbled, finally successful for the second time._

_Natsu's scream of triumph drowned out half of the guild's noise. He suddenly looked at Lucy, and with all the sincerity he could possibly ever muster in his entire life, told her, "Ne, I want a kid."_

* * *

><p>"Let's hurry home, Lucy." Cana tenderly took her friend's hand, and tried to take her away. "The rain isn't going to stop anytime soon. We should leave before a full-on storm takes over."<p>

They were the only ones on the hill. Everyone else had gone home. No one was crazy enough to stay in the rain. Besides, they all wanted to escape the depressing atmosphere. They were all eager to move on.

Lucy stood in front of the gravestone, drenched. Her wet clothing clung to her skin. She shivered, but not because of the weather.

Cana dropped Lucy's hand and sighed. She knew there was no use talking Lucy into coming back where there's shelter. She didn't want to be self-centered, but her throat was burning for a drink. She wanted to forget, as much as she possibly can. Cana began to walk away, but halted in her steps when she got to the bottom.

"Lucy," she called.

No reply, no acknowledgement, no nothing. _Whatever_, Cana thought, _she just has to hear what I need to say._

"Lucy, don't…don't kill yourself, okay?"

After a few moments in passing, Cana turned, certain that Lucy had heard her but had chosen not to reply.

"I don't have to," the celestial mage murmured softly but audible enough for Cana to understand. "I'm already dead."

* * *

><p><em>Exasperated, Lucy slammed the door in Natsu's face. But it's not like that's going to stop him.<em>

_Natsu opened the door, and came inside, still bubbly and energetic despite hounding Lucy for an entire week. "Aw, come on, Luce. Please?"_

_Lucy rubbed the sides of her head with her thumbs and closed her eyes. "For the last time, Natsu, no."_

_It was approximately the hundredth time she had said those same exact words. _

_It killed her every time to deny Natsu something he really wanted, but it was her job as his girlfriend to keep him from doing something completely crazy and irresponsible. Well, not exactly girlfriend. What relationship she and Natsu had was painfully ambiguous. And yet all the more reason to not grant his wish._

"_I'd be a great dad!"_

_Ugh. Listen to him go on about parenthood and having babies and pregnancy. Like he knew what he was really in for. What _she _was really in for._

"_Natsu, we're not even _together_. We are still teenagers! What makes you think we're capable of bringing up a baby?" Lucy asked._

_He was unfazed by her questions. In fact, he was prompted even more. It was the first time Lucy ever entertained his request. Never mind that she didn't give him an affirmative. All Natsu really cared about was that he's made progress. _

"_Not together? Not a problem! You're officially my girlfriend. If you want, I'll marry you tomorrow!"_

_Utterly stunned, Lucy stammered, "Wha-_what?_ After all that, we're official? And don't be stupid; I can't marry you!"_

_Natsu cocked his head to the side, confused. "But we love each other, don't we?"_

* * *

><p>After days and nights spent on useless, <em>pathetic<em> crying, Lucy allowed herself to giggle after remembering that fond memory. She could still remember her response. _Yes. We do._ _But we still can't get married! _He wouldn't want her to be moping about in bed all day. He wouldn't want her to keep dwelling on the past.

One important thing Natsu had taught her was moving forward.

Slowly, she sat up, bowed her head, and her eyes softened as she pressed a hand to her belly.

* * *

><p><em>Having just one more glass wasn't considered one of the best decisions anyone has ever made. And there was a reason for that. A reason that involved little black dresses and belts and pants carelessly strewn about on the floor.<em>

_On Natsu's bed was a tangle of limbs, white and slender, tan and muscular. _

_Lucy's lips were hot on Natsu's skin, her passionate kisses leaving his jawline, chest, collarbone tingling. His rough, callused hands were everywhere: in her hair, on her breasts, on her back. Each touch was electric. They battled for domination. They loved._

_The dragon-slayer paused, and began to move inside her. Lucy moaned in pleasure as she let him in, her eyes glazed over in delirium._

_As they were about to reach a climax, Natsu hesitated. "Should I…should I finish?"_

_At that moment, Lucy wanted to say yes. Oh God, yes. She wanted to give herself to him, give him everything, let him have the fucking baby. But just for a moment._

"_No," she managed._

_Sighing, Natsu complied. He was disappointed, but warmly returned the smile Lucy gave him._

_Lucy felt guilty, and she bit her lip in earnest. She massaged Natsu's back, and kissed his neck, and wore nothing but his scarf as she walked around his house when they were done. She did everything she knew made him happy, to make amends for not letting him have the baby._

_She knew he'd make a good dad. She knew he'd be responsible. That they'd both be._

_Next time, Lucy decided. The very next time they have sex._

_Later on, Natsu prepared to leave. He was going to look for Igneel again. He kissed Lucy, and told her he'll be back safely and that he'll be so quick that she wouldn't even notice and he won't ever really leave her._

_It was also the last time Natsu was seen in Fairy Tail alive._

* * *

><p><em>No, <em>Lucy reminded herself and she withdrew her hand. She wasn't pregnant. She pictured the child she could have had. Hazel eyes like hers. Salmon hair like his. A smile brighter than the sun. A heart bigger than the earth.

She stopped.

And she continued to cry. But in her tears, she smiled, as she realized Natsu's spirit would meet that of their child's, which is still waiting for a body to grow into once the life it has been assigned to has been created. Since she and Natsu didn't have a baby, its spirit wandered aimlessly in heaven, where he'd wait for his parents' spirits.

Natsu and their child were waiting for her.

_Don't worry,_ Lucy thought._ It won't be long. I'll live your lives for you, for now._

**A/N: AND IT IS DONE. This one was several months in progress XD Hm, that ending turned out kind of morbid… well, interpret it anyway you want :) And wow, terribly sorry at killing Natsu off D: It killed me to write about his funeral but the theme called for it :/ And I know I'm a shameless bitch for even asking for this even after so long but review? :D Pretty please ^^ Thanks for reading!**


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